Why is Teeth Whitening So Popular?

It’s no surprise that everyone would like to have one of those movie star smiles. White teeth suggest to the world that you keep good oral hygiene, and also that you care about your appearance and how you present yourself to the world.

There is an array of teeth whitening products available these days, but it pays to choose one that is guaranteed to get you great results while also being safe. My Dentist at Cannon Hill is your local dental and tooth whitening expert. We offer in-chair whitening in Cannon Hill as well as take-home teeth whitening for the greater Brisbane area. Continue reading “Why is Teeth Whitening So Popular?”→

Thank you to everyone for a wonderful 2017. We wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year and we hope everyone stays safe during this festive period. We look forward to seeing everyone again in 2018. Below are our trading times over this Christmas period.

Sunday 24/12 – Closed

Monday 25/12 – Closed

Tuesday 26/12 – Closed

Wednesday 27/12 – Open 9 am to 1 pm (front office only)

Thursday 28/12 – Open 9 am to 1 pm (front office only)

Friday 29/12 – Open 9 am to 1 pm (front office only)

Saturday 30/12 – Closed

Sunday 31/12 – Closed

Monday 01/01 – Closed

Tuesday 02/01 – Closed

Wednesday 03/01 – Open back to normal trading hours.

Our front office will be here on Wed 27/12 to Fri 29/12 to answer any calls and to take any bookings for the New Year. Alternatively, you can still use our online booking system located on our website www.mdch.com.au.

Periodontal disease is an infection of the structures around the teeth. This includes the gums, periodontal ligament (connective tissue) and alveolar bone (the thickened ridge of bone that contains the tooth sockets). The seriousness of the disease ranges from simple gum inflammation to major damage. This damage impacts the soft tissue and bone that support the teeth. In the worst cases, teeth can be lost.

The most common cause of periodontal disease is hardened, bacterial plaque. This plaque is formed of food debris in the hours after you have eaten. The plaque adheres to your teeth and causes inflammation in the gums. Plaque that is not removed can harden and form tartar. No amount of brushing is capable of cleaning tartar. Continue reading “What is Periodontal Disease?”→

Bacteria can be found literally everywhere. It is on your phone, in your fridge and in your mouth. If your mouth can house bacteria than it is not a difficult stretch to realise that bacteria can also be found on your toothbrush. There is no reason for concern as not all bacteria is bad. The concern comes when there is an unhealthy imbalance of bacteria. Continue reading “Bacteria on Your Toothbrush”→

We all know of Wisdom Teeth. If you don’t know exactly what they’re for, you will have heard of them. The images that come to mind are poor late-teens and 20-somethings with puffy cheeks and bowls of ice cream. The reputation they hold is not a positive one.

Australians are known for their well-maintained smiles. We are often stereotyped abroad as having beautifully clean, white teeth. We should be grateful to have grown up with quality, educational practises around oral care. While we are a nation with a strong appreciation for our pearly whites, we are not immune to oral health problems. Dental issues can affect your everyday life. Yet, most of them can be avoided or dealt with easily. Continue reading “Top Oral Health Problems for Australians”→

Most patients probably don’t think about hygiene at the dentist and just how important it is. Many would assume that all dental clinics rigorously follow the highest hygiene standards, but that’s not always the case.

Although it’s relatively rare in Australia, there have been cases of dental clinics having poor hygiene standards. The most prominent case was in July 2015 at a Sydney dental clinic and more recently in 2016, another one in Brisbane.

Severe Hygiene Breach at a Sydney Dental Clinic

Thousands of people who visited one of the four clinics were warned they could have potentially been infected with serious diseases.

The Dental Council of NSW had discovered breaches in infection control. Patients who had invasive procedures at the clinics over the past 10 years were informed they could have contracted hepatitis B, hepatitis C or HIV.

The scare was followed by an investigation in which the NSW Dental Council restricted the registration of 12 dentists working at those practices, while six practitioners were suspended and another six had restrictions placed on their registration.

Hygiene is a Right

This incident highlights the importance of choosing a dental clinic where rigorous standards of hygiene, infection control and sterilisation are upheld and not just promised. All dental practitioners have a legal duty of care to their patients.

Hygiene has to be more than a promise, it is common law. It is the responsibility of a dental clinic to comply with the Dental Board of Australia’s guidelines on infection control and ensure infection control measures are properly implemented in the workplace.

The dental board specifies that all dental practices are carried out in a manner that protects and enhances public health and safety. This means ensuring there is a minimal risk of diseases being spread.

How to Make Sure a Dental Clinic is Hygienic

To ensure you’re receiving safe care from a dentist, you should consider or ask about the following:

Whether the dental practitioner is registered (anyone can check the national register online)

Does the surgery look clean and tidy?

Is the dentist wearing appropriate clothing, gloves, eyewear and a mask?

Are there appropriate hand washing facilities?

Are the instruments clean?

Are there packaged instruments and disposable items?

Does the dentist have an assistant?

If in doubt, ask the dentist about their sterilisation process or whether they have an autoclave. If you’re not satisfied with the answers or feel like something is wrong, then leave the clinic.

High Standards from My Dentist at Cannon Hill

We are committed to providing the highest standards of care while offering a friendly and relaxed environment. Our level of care involves maintaining impeccable hygiene and infection control through exhaustive monitoring and highly trained staff.

If you’d like more information about the high standards of hygiene at our dental clinic, please contact us online or call us on 07 3902 1023. We treat patients in Brisbane, as well as surrounding local areas including Cannon Hill, Morningside, Murarrie, and Carina.

Expectant mothers often experience dental problems, including gum disease and a higher risk of tooth decay. This is because, during pregnancy, increased hormones affect the body’s response to plaque and increases exposure to damaging acids.

Up to 70 per cent of pregnant women are affected by gingivitis, highlighting the importance of good oral hygiene and regular visits to the dentist when you are pregnant.